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deepreadbelle's Reviews (1.15k)
I need to be clear upfront that I absolutely INHALED this book. So far this series is as compulsively readable as Maiden Lane, and it’s been a while since I’ve been sucked into a series like this. That all being said, I have a lot of niggles with this one because, on the whole, the story felt held together with duct tape. The relationship arc between Jasper and Melisande felt inconsistent and contrived in places, while I never really bought into why Melisande had been in love with Jasper for so long. Also the continuation of the “who’s the traitor?” plotline got a bit “ugh, really?” near the end, but in fairness there were some interesting new breadcrumbs thrown in. And as Hoyt is wont to do, the dog and manservant vibes are immaculate.
Lady Emeline is a proper, no-nonsense Englishwoman with no time for eccentric footwear and the infuriating American ex-soldiers who wear them. Samuel is an ex-soldier-turned-successful American businessman, avid long distance runner, and gets rock hard when Emeline is mean to him, which is nearly 24-7. When I tell you that this book’s first sex scene made me clutch my chest and gasp GOOD LORD, ELIZABETH... And I’m a seasoned Hoyt reader, friends. Goddamn. This book has murder and personal investigation, men beating the shit out of each other, a heroine who is SO SNOTTY TO HIM and I love it almost as much as he does, and truly the most earnest, romantic sad fuck I’ve ever read. Put it directly into my veins.
This is one of those books where literally EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE ELSE is more interesting than the couple at its center. Former imperial courtesan? Fifth brother with “the heart of a poet”? “Enemy” warlord? Former princess and her barbarian husband? This book doesn’t get truly interesting until the final 30 pages, when Big Bad Warlord is quietly intimidating all over the place, making the previous 270 pages almost worth it. Almost. Anyway. If you want to experience two containers of room temperature vanilla pudding be instantly attracted to each other while trudging around China, this is your book, I guess.
Here’s the thing about having a raging competency kink: KJ Charles lives there. She revels in it. Her characters are all so alarmingly, devastatingly, erotically competent, and it’s all I can do not to kick my feet and squeal at a frequency only dogs can hear whilst reading her books. And how much do I love scrappy, stubborn war veteran Will Darling and the slippery, waspy Kim Secretan? As much as Will loves being contrary. As much as Kim loves purple. As much as KJ Charles loves a man handling another man against a wall, door, or bookcase. (Bless her heart, amen and hallelujah.) This book is delightful, A++ espionage and sexy shenanigans.
Where to begin? With rape? Because that’s where we begin! I get that this is meant to be a bodice ripper tribute but, you know, there is no soft focus non-con here. What follows is a lot of deep penetration accompanied by shallow characterization; I did not care who was railing who because it was utterly lacking in tension. I had no idea a pirate threesome book could be so goddamn boring. One third of the threesome just sort of...disappears for a considerable portion of the book. The heroine is a dishrag for far too long. There is a plot that is dull and resolves with a wet fart sound. I love Eris Adderly but this ain’t it, me hearties.
fast-paced